Swimming Places 2nd at 2026 AAC Championships; Sweep Swimmer and Coach of the Year Honors
Kingsport, Tennessee- The Brenau swimming and diving team earned second place with a host of strong showings, another individual title and two individual overall awards at the 2026 Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships on Saturday.
Sophomore Sophie Bell garnered Most Outstanding Swimmer honors for her performance at the 2026 championships. The Atlanta, Ga. native won the 200 backstroke on the final day of competition, which was her third individual title of the championships after previously earning top honors in the 100 backstroke and the 50 freestyle. Bell also raced on four different relays, helping each win four different second place finishes.
Head coach Mandi Bell was rewarded for her team's strong performance at the championships by receiving her first AAC Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year award.
Individually, junior Olga Bukowska also had a strong showing in the 200 butterfly with a second place finish and freshman Erin Watterson earned third place in the 200 breaststroke in 2:37.13.
Brenau also had a strong showing in the relay events as the team of Abi Binns, Ariel Furhman, Emily DiMaggio, and Manuela Horta garnered runners-up honors in the 400 freestyle relay.
Other individual finishers on day two include:
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200 butterfly, 5th place, 2:10.32;
Abi Binns:
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100 freestyle, 4th place, 55.56;
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100 freestyle, T-5th place, 56.44;
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200 backstroke, 6th place, 2:19.02;
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100 freestyle, T-5th place, 56.44;
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200 breaststroke, 4th place, 2:40.64;
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100 freestyle, 7th place, 56.67;
The Golden Tigers tallied 677 points to finish comfortably in second place to Milligan (Tn.) (921 points). Columbia (SC) College (334), Tennessee Southern University (208), University of Pikeville (Ky.) (200), and West Virginia Tech (115) rounded out the finishers.